1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for preparing of a cheese-like food product using soybean (soybean milk) as a raw material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, vegetable proteinaceous foods have been appraised because of high concerns about health. Particularly, food products prepared using raw soybean which contains a large amount of proteins of good quality are rated highly, and soybean milk beverages, meat-like foods, etc. as well as traditional processed foods, e.g. Tofu (soybean curds) and Natto (fermented soybeans) are commercially available.
Various research has also been made on cheese-like foods prepared using soybean(soybean milk) as a raw material, and many patent applications have been made such as Patent Kokoku No. 57-3338 "a process for preparation of a cheese-like food utilizing soybean milk" and Patent Kokai No. 59-213358 "a process for preparation of an improved cheese-like food".
The formation of curds together with progress of lactic acid fermentation is also essential for the production of a cheese-like food using soybean milk as a raw material, similarly in the production of cheese using milk. But, soybean milk cannot be coagulated with rennet which is a milk coagulating enzyme. In order to form good curds, accordingly, a process is proposed which comprises carrying out lactic acid fermentation, for example, using a lactic acid bacterium having heat resistance and accelerating curd formation at high temperatures of 70.degree. to 80.degree. C. However, this process has a disadvantage that use of a lactic acid bacterium having spores is necessary, because the process requires heat resistance of the lactic acid bacterium.
Although a process of using a specific coagulating enzyme capable of clotting soybean milk is also proposed, the process is not generally applied.